Hunger strike for strong climate legislation continues

Sedinam Kinamo Christin Moyowasifza-Curry and environmental activist Vincent Pawlowski fasted for a full 40 days in May and June to protest a weak climate bill recently passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

SKCM Curry is in full agreement with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s statement at the May 2009 World Business Sum≠mit on Climate Change: “Climate change is the defining challenge of our time. I also believe it is the most potent game-changer for business over the next century. It is an opportunity we must seize.”

Seven members of Fast For Our Future fasted for 33 days. The group is calling for a rolling fast to urge continued momentum toward strong international action on climate change.

Two protesters fasted for 40 days to symbolize the 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gases called for by scientists. On the 37th day of this hunger strike the Waxman-Markey climate bill was released by the Energy and Commerce Commit≠tee, chaired by Henry Waxman. The fasters were critical of this bill and are are calling for stronger climate legislation.

“This legislation is very problematic,” said Vince Pawlowski. “It’s not even close to being a solution to our urgent climate crisis. The whole idea of a cap is to in≠crease the price of carbon-based fuels to drive the transition to clean, renewable energy, and this legislation doesn’t do that. Further, the requirement for utilities to get their electricity from renewable sources is so weak it might be worse than having no federal renewables requirement at all, given the number of states that have enacted stronger renewable mandates. This is in no way the kind of legislation we need.”

Organizers of the Fast For Our Future are calling for a worldwide “rolling fast” that would continue for the rest of the year, leading up to the United Nations Climate Conference in Copen≠hagen, Denmark in mid-December.

More information about Fast For Our Future can be found at www.fastingforourfuture.org. For more information about climate change and the media campaign Seal the Deal 2009óClimate Confer≠enceóCopenhagen, visit their web≠site at www.sealthedeal2009.org.